1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mistake
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confuse
But online as an antidote only works if the sector stops confusing access with quality.
—
Ian Gibson, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
PooCrave rose in the wake of PopCrave, a Twitter account that is practically legacy media at this point, which aggregates news and celebrity birthdays and casting announcements (not to be confused with PopBase … which is similar and different).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
The seconds that followed our spill into Missinaibi’s bitterly cold waters were confused.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Secondly, true dandelions shouldn’t be confused with lookalikes like cat’s ear (false dandelion), sow thistle, coltsfoot and autumn hawkbit.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Ian Gibson, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
PooCrave rose in the wake of PopCrave, a Twitter account that is practically legacy media at this point, which aggregates news and celebrity birthdays and casting announcements (not to be confused with PopBase … which is similar and different).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
The seconds that followed our spill into Missinaibi’s bitterly cold waters were confused.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Secondly, true dandelions shouldn’t be confused with lookalikes like cat’s ear (false dandelion), sow thistle, coltsfoot and autumn hawkbit.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those plans were derailed after the war triggered a spike in jet fuel prices, upending Spirit's cost projections and complicating its exit from bankruptcy.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
The administration has signaled that proposals from Tehran have gotten incrementally better as the negotiations have dragged on, but that disorganization of leadership has complicated the process.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Transferring them into other bottles, especially food or drink containers, can increase the risk that a child will mistake them for something safe to consume.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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And the Oscar for best documentary feature goes back to Russian filmmaker Pavel Talankin after Transportation Security Administration workers mistook the golden statuette for a weapon and removed it from his carry-on bag for a flight to Germany.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Mets were embarrassed by the Washington Nationals in an 14-2 blowout to even up the series at one game apiece.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Allen was injured but was not shot during the April 25 attack at the Washington Hilton, which disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
Several airlines are offering limited-time fares to help accommodate passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by Spirit’s closure.—
Scott Laird,
Travel + Leisure,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fox Nation President Lauren Petterson said in the press release that Season 1 showed just how easily lines can be blurred between fiction and reality.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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In some commercial newsrooms, advertisers can use their influence to try to dictate news content or attempt to blur the lines between journalism and advertisements, although there are strict rules about this in some countries.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
This comes up every few years, and everyone gets all flustered every few years.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Lullaby, Book of Love’s 1988 follow-up, is the sound of a band that felt surprised and flustered by unexpected success.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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